Work from Home

Approximately one in five moms are considered millennial moms or mothers born between 1978 and 1994. This accounts for 9 million people across the globe.

But while this generation of mothers grew up at the rise of career-oriented women working outside the home, more and more millennial moms are now choosing to stay at home instead to live their ideal family life.

Being a millennial mom myself, let me share some of the reasons why I think more millennial moms prefer working from home.

We want to be present for our family.

We are a generation of empowered women. We know we can choose the lifestyle we want according to our values. For me, I stay at home because I want to witness firsthand my children’s milestones and spend more time with my husband whenever he’s on vacation–all these without compromising a career.

We can do both. Thanks to technology.

We want to earn more.

Online freelancing opens doors that I never knew existed, including the opportunity to work for big foreign companies without leaving the house. This means I can increase my earnings and provide well for our family.

Earnings through online freelancing can be tricky though. When I first started, I got the lowest rate. I persevered because I still considered it as an answered prayer. It’s still income coming every week without me worrying about who to babysit my kid.

Six years in the industry brought me a network of like-minded people who are ready to help and taught me the value I can give to my clients. This allowed me to charge appropriately no matter my location or citizenship.

I have achieved my goal of earning more, but I am still growing.

We want more time to pursue our passion and the things that matter most.

Gone are the days, when you sacrifice your passion when you become a mom. Millennial moms realize that we need to engage in self-soothing activities as a form of stress relief from managing the household, parenting, and working/running a business. When we care for ourselves, we can care more for our loved ones.

Painting, dancing, cooking, blogging, vlogging–whatever we want to achieve without considering money, that is our passion.

Bonding time with family and friends, meditation, prayer, Bible reading, massage–anything that comforts and recharges us is the self-care that we need.

Online freelancing gives us the flexibility of time for us to do those things.

We have countless opportunities to grow.

Various groups, mentors, and coaches provide help to anyone who wants to join the online freelancing tribe. Online courses with certificates are also available if we want to upgrade our skills.

In short, we can invest in our own learning and growth anytime, knowing that it can benefit us and our clients.

Are you a millennial mom who wants to join online freelancing? This space if for you. Stay tuned for more updates to help you start your freelancing journey.

Related:

Online freelancing has gained popularity over the years as a growing number of people desire to work from home.

Everything was different back in 2014 when I first started.

It seemed that the possibility of working online anywhere, especially at home, was so unbelievable. If you wanted to help people know that you were actually working and getting paid through the internet, you have to take time to explain everything. Every. Time.

I used to explain a lot because I wanted to be recognized–most especially to my mom, who was discouraged about my career–an entirely different path from my education.

But after years of seeing me earn weekly and going to company events, she had a change of heart and started to understand my line of work. I think that’s what’s more important for her–to see me making a mark of my own even just behind a laptop screen.

Do I have regrets?

To be honest. No.

Just like any other career, online freelancing has difficulties. It takes time to establish roots, hard work, ability to manage time, resilience during downtime, loneliness, and above all, a growth mindset.

But despite the hardships, I am thankful for all the opportunities online freelancing has brought into my life. I could discuss the many ways it has helped me, but nothing beats the fact that it enabled me to fully experience motherhood and parenting.

How I Started

Before 2014, I already had a hunch about online careers. Curious, I created my own profile on Odesk (now Upwork). I searched for jobs on the platform but was intimidated by the skills required. Eventually, I landed a job from another site, teaching English to Korean students through Skype.

I enjoyed online teaching but only saw it as a temporary means to earn an extra income. Pregnant at that time, I knew it had to end once my baby comes.

So I rested from online work. In 2013, I joined the workforce of the RNHeals program of the DOH, serving the community. My then 2-year-old son would come along with me because I couldn’t find a well-trusted yaya for him.

It was then that I dreamed of just staying at home with my son and earning at the same time.

So after my RNHeals contract ended, I knew what I had to do. Criselle, my friend, introduced me to her then employer, an online company based in San Francisco. They were hiring, and I took the chance.

An Answered Prayer

I applied for the proofreader position, around January 2014. Though it was what I wanted, I didn’t have the confidence to claim it. Four months passed. I didn’t hear anything from the company.

My attention focused on my grandmother who was bedridden at that time. But my husband, Mark, just took an exam. Both of us were jobless. It depleted our funds to the point that we had nothing to spend.

With tears one morning, as I was changing Nanay’s clothes, I whispered to her ear.

Please help me secure this job so that I can earn and still continue caring for you.

It’s really a humbling experience. Even until now, I shed a tear remembering that moment.

Within a week after that morning, I received an email asking my availability for an interview. On May 12, 2014, I became an official member of the proofreading team.

Motherhood and Online Freelancing

This online freelancing career was not written in my yearbook–the part where you have to answer where do you see yourself 5 years from now.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think of this path. But becoming a mother gives birth to new dreams. And these dreams are even more beautiful than the former ones.

At this season of my life, I don’t want to give up my capacity to earn. At the same time, I want to give my kids a nice and cozy nest, a strong foundation of values, and everyday guidance. Things that are easier for me to give when I am present at home with them.

These things are now because of how God answered my grandmother’s and my plea, one morning of May.